


The Thief and the Scholar

by ManlyQuail



Category: RWBY
Genre: Angst, Board Games, Bonding, Gen, Green Hills Zone, Hope, Intelligent Emerald, Mentor/Protégé, Mountain Glenn, No Romance, Redemption, Studying, history lesson
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-13
Updated: 2019-12-13
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:54:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,872
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21777868
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ManlyQuail/pseuds/ManlyQuail
Summary: Emerald's study session in the library is interrupted by a certain red hooded individual causing her to roam about the halls of Beacon looking for something to do. With Cinder always busy and Mercury being awkward to hang out with, Emerald stumbles across the tail end of a lecture by one of the school's professors. Looking to learn more about what he teaches, as well as potentially dig up dirt on some of the other students to aid in Cinder's plans, Emerald ends up spending an entire afternoon with Professor Oobleck, but the conversations they have weren't what she was expecting.
Relationships: Bartholomew Oobleck/Emerald Sustrai
Comments: 1
Kudos: 9





	The Thief and the Scholar

_ Her breathing was heavy as she pressed her body tight against the brick wall of the unfamiliar structure. Having closed the door as quickly - and quietly - as possible, her senses were filled with adrenaline as she listened for her pursuers. _

“NOOOOOOO!”

_ Leaning forward, she risked looking through the crack of the door frame, listening to the sound of several sets of boots stomping through the alleyway beyond. In a blur, nearly a dozen uniformed men rushed past shouting words she couldn’t quite make out in her current state. _

“Wait, so does this mean…?”

_ “I don’t suppose that little force there is for you now is it?” There was a sudden ‘thump’ as the thief raised the knife at her side and glanced into the dark of the building. Her eyes adjusted slowly from the light of the city as several figures came into view amongst the shadows. _

“Well it would if it wasn’t for… MY TRAP CARD!”

_ There was a sudden ‘thump’... _

Blinking, realizing that her concentration had been broken and she’d begun to reread the same paragraph over and over, Emerald Sustrai let out a slight grumble of frustration. The dark skinned girl had been reading quietly to herself in the library for some time, but it was quickly becoming apparent that even the library couldn’t give her the peace and quiet she’d been hoping for. Subconsciously she’d began to grip the edges of the book tight, and turning her head she brushed her mint colored hair to the side and through red eyes began to glare at the source of the commotion.

“Ha, as if I’d fall for that a second time. I activate my own trap!”

At a table only a few feet from hers, a group of girls were rather loudly playing a board game. She could see a map of Remnant spread out across the table covered in tiny figures ranging from humans, to animals, to Grimm. Each girl held a selection of cards in their hands and were watching the events unfold as trap after trap was activated. Two of the girls were standing and shouting at one another as they threw down card after card in an attempt to counter the other.

“Well played Schnee, you’ve learned well.” The taller of the two girls gave a polite bow to the other, before standing and brushing waist length golden locks out of her face. 

Yang Xiao-Long, whom Emerald had deemed  _ ‘The Bimbo’ _ , was staring boldly across the table to Weiss Schnee,  _ ‘The Heiress’ _ . Weiss was wearing a smug expression as she placed her hands at the hip of her snowy combat skirt, flipping a waist length white ponytail to the side.

“Pffftt, Weiss stop!” The leader of the small group, a younger girl by the name of Ruby Rose, batted at the hair as it flicked at her nose. Scrunching her face and scooting her chair from Weiss, the girl wearing a red hood then began to mourn the loss of her plastic forces, burying her head in her palms. Across from Ruby, the only seemingly sensible member of the team in the library, sat a black haired faunus girl who was squinting quietly over the rule book. While she had a bow atop her head to conceal her identity, Emerald knew more about her than she would ever know.

“Actually, according to the last page of the rules-” Another shouting match ensued as Blake stood as well, moving close to Weiss and pointing at a line of text across a paper pamphlet. Having had enough, Emerald slammed her book shut and scooted her chair out a little louder than necessary as she stood up and stared down at the table. As the group fell silent she could feel several sets of eyes looking in her direction.

Glancing back towards the four, she saw all four girls staring at her. Taking a second to calm herself, Emerald began let our a slow, relaxing breath. With a tiny bit of focus, she set her eyes on Ruby and stared at the girl for only a moment.

“Is… WEISS!” Ruby had been gazing back at Emerald when she caught sight of something out of the corner of her eye. With panic she quickly turned towards Weiss, pointing a dramatic finger and screaming about an enormous spider in the heiress’s hair. As the girls all began to scream and tear apart the snowy hair in an attempt to find and crush the creature, Emerald smirked to herself, collected her book, and walked away humming a gleeful tune to herself.

Leaving the library, the smile on Emerald’s face faded quickly as she realized she had no follow up plans once she'd left. She’d initially planned on spending most of the day in there reading, but going back in while team RWBY was making a ruckus would only cause her further irritation, and she clasped her fingers behind her head as she walked through the empty halls of Beacon to find something to do.

Having time on her hands wasn’t something Emerald was used to. Ever since she could remember every minute had been spent fighting for survival, and that even something like taking a break for more than a few minutes could risk being captured or missing out on an opportunity to steal a meal. After Cinder had found her, her life had become a little easier to live, but the pacing never slowed down. With her skills at the disposal of the first person in her life to care for her, Cinder had made sure to put Emerald to work, to which she was more than happy to comply. Theft after theft, as well as her fair share of assassination missions, had earned her a great deal of favor with the woman who had given her a life.

However, since coming to Vale, Cinder had put a leash around her and her companion Mercury. Another assassin without a home, Mercury had joined with Cinder a short while after Emerald and the two had begun to form a bond after numerous missions together. While she wouldn’t exactly describe them as friends or all that close, they’d learned the fighting style of the other and how to operate together. Still, it wasn’t as if they spent their spare time hanging out.

Emerald began to anxiously tap a finger against the back of her head as she pondered what to do. It was strange to simply have a mission that involved  _ waiting _ for something to happen. Their primary objective, the attack on Beacon, wouldn’t take place until the Vytal Festival several weeks from then. For now though, her orders involved sitting still and feigning friendships with the students of Beacon, and those orders were causing her to become a little stir crazy. Thinking over things she’d overheard, she wondered about potential pursuing another mission on her own, though after the Tukson incident…

“...and that ladies and gentlemen is why Mountain Glenn was doomed to fail. More recently after personally visiting the location…” Emerald’s ear twitched at the mention of Mountain Glenn. The disaster that fell at Torchwick’s feet only a few days ago had sent Cinder into a fury, and was yet another reason she loathed the students of Beacon, particularly Team RWBY. Still, as she continued to listen in on whomever was speaking, they focused on the architecture and design of the city itself, going in depth as to strategies meant to be used to survive against Grimm while still providing a pleasant looking aesthetic for the structures of the town. 

Sneaking into the door, Emerald had to squint as her eyes adjusted to a darkened lecture hall. In the front of the room a professor - Dr. Oobleck - was zipping back and forth with a lengthy wooden pointer as he explained the different details present in the image of a ruined building projected onto the wall. Every moment he stopped he would take a sip of coffee, speak, and then seem to vanish and reappear in front of a different part of the structure. If he noticed her enter, he didn’t seem to acknowledge it, and as Emerald’s eyes finished adjusting she took the opportunity to glance through the rows of seats in the hall.

Given the recent events, and the brief hiatus placed on classes, it shouldn’t have been a surprise to her that the lecture hall was almost empty. Aside from herself she could spot four other heads looking forward towards the Professor. On the far left of the hall sat a young boy with neatly combed white hair quietly taking notes. A few rows in front of Emerald was a girl with seafoam hair a similar shade to her own, though much longer, and in front of her…

Emerald was thankful for the dark and that nobody had watched her enter. Her eyes narrowed in on a pair of familiar faces sitting front and center. With lengthy locks of crimson and a bronze circlet in her hair, Pyrrha Nikos could be seen nodding and jotting down notes whenever the Professor took a sip of his coffee. Beside her, a boy in blonde appeared to be nodding as well, though with the way his head occasionally started to drift to the left Emerald assumed he was struggling to stay awake more than listening to the lecture. Either way, she could only imagine that Pyrrha would’ve attempted to invite her to sit with the two of them through the lecture, and after leaving Team RWBY behind in the library she was in no mood to socialize.

As Emerald looked towards the front of the room once more, she frowned to herself as it appeared that Oobleck was winding down the lecture. His projector had moved to a blank screen and in a blur he zipped to the edge of the room to press his fingers to the light switch. Wincing slightly, her eyes having just finished adjusting to the darkness, Emerald blinked a few times to try and adjust back to the light as Oobleck returned the board and turned off the projector with a remote.

“Now then!” His eyes glanced briefly up to Emerald, noting her presence, and then turned to the rest of the class. “Does anyone have any inquiries relating to Mountain Glenn or the recent events involving the White Fang’s occupation of the lower city?”

She watched as Oobleck glanced towards the front row, where Pyrrha Nikos simply shook her head before looking to Jaune at her side, the boy having spilled over into the next seat. With a quick nudge of her elbow into his side, he jolted upright and snapped to attention.

“Mr. Arc! Any questions regarding the material? This lecture could certainly be used to improve your grades in my class so I do hope you were paying attention between naps.” Oobleck was a blur once more as he moved from the board at the front to the space directly in front of Jaune’s seat, where Emerald could see him awkwardly rubbing the back of his head with a gloved hand.

“Ahh nope, no questions sir, I think I got it all. Eheh…” With an awkward chuckle, Oobleck glanced from Jaune to Pyrrha, noting the detailed information spread across her notebook, and with a heavy sigh stepped away from the pair.

“Very well then! If nobody has anything else they need from me, then that concludes my lecture for this evening. Farewell!” In an instant Oobleck seemed to vanish into a door in the back of the lecture hall, the sounds of it opening and slamming behind him practically overlapping.

Emerald was lost in thought, wishing she’d caught the lecture sooner and had actually brought study materials, when she heard a voice directed at her.

“Hello again!” Turning to her right, Emerald could see Pyrrha Nikos waving politely in her direction with her usual friendly smile. Internally Emerald felt disgusted that someone could wear such a genuine expression of cheer, but externally she smiled and gave a polite wave of her own. “You’re friends with Mercury correct? From Haven Academy?”

“Yup. That’s me.” Offering as unsarcastic a smile as she could, Emerald extended a hand to Pyrrha who happily shook it. “Emerald Sustrai. Sorry about your fight by the way, Mercury is a hard guy to figure out sometimes.”

“Yes well, these things do happen. Did you enjoy the lecture? I wasn’t aware you were in attendance so I hope you didn’t arrive too late.” As Pyrrha lowered her hand, Emerald doing the same, she glanced upwards at a clock to Emerald’s back.

“Ah, actually I arrived just there at the end. I overheard the architecture talk and couldn’t help but take a look. Bad timing on my part I suppose.” Emerald shrugged slightly, her eyes wandering back to the door Oobleck left through. She wondered if it was an actual exit, or if perhaps there was an office he’d ducked away into. Even without being given an order, the potential to gain information from a professor at Beacon could prove to be useful for their future plans. It would be easy to try and talk to him alone, a few questions about the lecture to get his interest, and then using the right illusions and the right words…

“Well if you’d like I’d be more than happy to go over my notes with you, or if you’d prefer I can make a copy and try to get them to you! It was quite the fascinating lecture, the worry of designing a structure for both aesthetic and defensive purposes provides such interesting conundrums that-” Pyrrha had eagerly started to flip through her notes, looking away from Emerald as her eyes scanned over line after line of information. As Emerald looked away from the door, she couldn’t help but briefly let her eyes skim over the information before she raised her hands apologetically.

“As much as I would love that, I was actually planning on talking to Dr. Oobleck about the lecture directly. If he’s busy though I’ll definitely take you up on the offer sometime.” With a forced smile she watched as Pyrrha glanced towards the door that Oobleck had left through as well, and for a second she was worried that Pyrrha might try and tag along, before she was saved by the yawning boy at her side.

“Pyrrha, you think I could get in a nap before training today? I’m beat after that lecture.” As Jaune stretched his arms with an audible groan, Pyrrha raised an eye-brow and simply shook her head with a chuckle.

“Alright Jaune, but for every minute you sleep we spend an extra two minutes training, got it?” With a smirk, Pyrrha’s green eyes watched as Jaune’s expression turned from drowsy to worry in an instant.

“On second thought, I think I’m nice and energized, ready to take on the day!” Unconvincingly Jaune took a few jabs in the air and took a few hops as he assumed a very poor combat stance. Emerald couldn’t help but chuckle slightly at his actions as Pyrrha did the same.

“Very well. I suppose I’ll see you around the school grounds then, it was a pleasure meeting you officially, and I hope you're having a wonderful time here at Beacon.” Pyrrha gave a slight bow towards Emerald with a grin, and Emerald awkwardly returned the gesture.

“Uh yeah, of course. Nice to meet you as well.” Thankful that the awkwardly forced conversation had ended, Emerald kept an eye on the pair as they left, and her eyes swept through the now empty lecture hall. Glancing down at the door that had remained shut, she became more and more convinced that it actually was another exit to the halls as opposed to an office. Still, she followed the length of steps down to the front of the lecture hall and walked towards the door, giving a hesitant series of knocks.

“Yes yes, come in. Miss Nikos if this is another attempt to request extra credit for Mr. Arc then…” As the door swung open Emerald was given a small peek into the most chaotic mess she’d ever seen. Even having spent most of her life in the streets, the litter and refuse of the alleys seemed almost alphabetized compared to the endless piles of paperwork she could see. Once her brief shock had faded she looked up towards Dr. Oobleck, who tilted his head and glanced down at her. “Ah I apologize, Miss Sustrai from Haven correct? How might I assist you today?”

“Dr. Oobleck right? Sorry, I just wondered if I could ask a few questions about the lecture.” Emerald gave a polite nod of her head and glanced back into the empty lecture hall before turning back to him. “I was unaware such an _intriguing_ discussion was happening at the school and unfortunately only managed to catch the last few moments. I could hear the lecture from the hallway and just _had_ to stop in.”

Emerald gave as polite a smile as she could as she attempted to flatter Dr. Oobleck, putting emphasis on certain words to really show her interest. She had the benefit of being not entirely dishonest regarding her interest either, it really was a lecture that had piqued her interest and was one she truly was disappointed in missing out on. She continued to smile up, staring into his glasses as he seemed to think over her request.

“Well it certainly is an odd request for a student from outside of Beacon to show interest in an extra credit lecture, but I can’t say that I’m displeased to hear my words have reached the youth of the next generation. I’d be happy to discuss any information you missed regarding the lecture, however, I must insist that you aid me with a task in return. At present I am headed to the library to organize a number of the books I’ve borrowed and quite frankly having an assistant would greatly expedite the process!” At first Emerald has assumed she’d be given a choice in his request, but before she could say or do anything an enormous pile of books had been shoved in her direction. Out of reflex, and to keep them from toppling over, she quickly clutched the pile from the bottom and leaned back so that the stack was falling into her.

“Ahh, sure I suppose.” Emerald rolled her eyes in frustration, the massive stack of text hiding her face from his, and took a few steps away from the door to let him step past her. “I was actually just in there prior to finding the lecture. Unfortunately the conditions were less than ideal to read in...”

With a bit of a grumble, Emerald muttered to herself about the obnoxious volume that team RWBY played their board games. Furthermore, they could easily have played in their dorm room, but had chosen the library of all places! Just thinking about it started to fill her with anger, though Oobleck’s voice pulled her away from such thoughts.

“Ah yes, I can imagine. From my understanding Ruby and her team have quite the habit of making the library their personal playground these days. Why, if they’d spent nearly half the time studying that they do playing around in there, then they might not be in need of extra lessons half the time!” Oobleck, with his own stack of books in his arms, shuffled out the door and quickly slammed it shut behind him with his foot. With a nod to Emerald, he seemed to slow his pace in consideration for her, and the pair stepped out into the halls.

“So Mountain Glenn; I think I heard a bit of the lecture talking about the architecture of the city correct? It was one of the attempted expansions outside of the Kingdom or something like that wasn’t it?” Emerald wasn’t quite sure where to start the conversation. She felt like Jaune, just repeating whatever she’d happened to catch walking past, but the important thing was to get him talking.

“Quite! As populations grew within the kingdom many wished to enter more rural areas! While the city is quite beautiful the idea of hiding behind walls often doesn’t sit well with some people, and moving out to more forested and secluded areas brings with it a certain appeal! Despite that, the citizens of the city still required something to defend them, and they attempted to design structures that functioned in a defensive manner as well as remaining pleasing to the eye.” Oobleck’s voice was hard to keep up with, especially while she was busy concentrating on the enormous stack of books leaning against her face. Still, it was enough to get the ball rolling, so she pushed further as they walked.

“Interesting, though even with all the work they put into these designs, they ended up with a wall of sorts anyways didn’t they? At least according to the photos you had up…” Emerald had to be careful about what details she did and didn’t bring up regarding Mountain Glenn. Her time there had been brief during the transition into the next phase of their plan, but she’d become familiar enough with the territory to get around in the event she had to return. It was dangerous to mention too many details without giving herself away.

“Yes they did. Unfortunately, the dream of having a standalone village outside the Kingdom that could operate without the same defensive structures they’d hoped to leave behind failed. Even the most beautiful of buildings was inevitably abandoned, and the citizens fled into cave systems below the city. Their goal was to use the natural protection of the caverns to act as walls and still manage to create a city of beauty. However, as they continued to expand beneath the surface, they opened a hole to an enormous cavern of Grimm and were wiped out in a matter of hours. It was one of the darkest moments in the history of Vale.” Despite Oobleck’s usual upbeat voice his voice turned to one of sorrow as he ended his miniature lecture. Reaching the library doors, Oobleck managed to use his pinky to turn the handle, and the pair pushed through the doors.

“VICTORY!” As soon as the doors to the enormous hall opened the familiar sounds of Team RWBY shouting over their board game fell on their ears. Ruby was standing in triumph surrounded by her defeated comrades. Emerald went to take a step forward as she glared at the team, but found that Oobleck had briefly stopped in his tracks, and she turned to give him a curious look.

“Ah, I apologize! I was simply recalling a similar lecture I gave to those girls when visiting the site itself. A history lesson regarding the failures of the past, and how best to avoid repeating them in the future. Despite their rather loud and sometimes obnoxious behavior, those girls proved to be quite capable warriors. Even if the field trip ended in an invasion of our city it was still quite the exciting and educational experience.” With a frown, furrowing her brow as she glared at the group, she followed behind Oobleck as he stepped past her and found an empty table to set down his stack of books. Following suit, Emerald rolled her shoulders and stretched out her arms, thankful for the opportunity to put down the heavy pile of texts.

“I assume last name based on genre?” Emerald tilted her head as she scanned down the pile of books. In her head she began to try and imagine where each one should be sorted based on her own exploration of the library thus far, before Oobleck shook his head.

“I’m afraid not dear, they’re organized by a decimal system. Each book has a corresponding number that is associated with a subject or a subcategory based on the information presented within. As far as non-fiction literature goes this is the easiest way to search: by category as opposed to searching by author.” Oobleck took the first book off the top of his pile before pausing a moment and glancing over at Emerald. She tilted her head as she slowly pulled off the top of her own stack and stared back in confusion. “So?”

“So...do I get it? I mean I do, I was just used to-” 

“My dear, I’m not asking if you understand what I’m asking of you, I’m asking about what you want to ask me.” Oobleck adjusted his glasses with a raised eye-brow and Emerald did her best to process what he was asking.

“What? About… the lecture?” Feeling her mind go blank, Emerald blinked a few times as Oobleck’s gaze began to create a slight amount of discomfort. His sudden focus on her caused her to take an anxious step back, wondering if he knew something she didn’t, and her mind began to play out endless scenarios in the event something went wrong.

“Miss Sustrai I’ve been teaching at this academy for quite some time. Very rarely do my own students seek my advice or talk to me outside of class, and even more rare is when a student from another academy who does not require nor care about my teaching methods seeks me out.” Emerald opened her mouth to respond, slightly stunned by his sudden observations, but she was cut off before she could try and defend herself. “It certainly isn’t without merits of course. The Vytal Festival tournament is a chance to make a name for one’s self, and doing research in order to obtain information about those you’ll be doing combat with can certainly give one an advantage in battle, but do not think for an instant that I’m some gullible fellow who is willing to give away secrets of the students in my care purely because of a feigned interested in my work.”

The mood shifted considerably over the few seconds since they’d set down the books. Oobleck’s accusatory stare caught her off guard and she didn’t even know what else to say. Part of her imagined the best thing to do would simply to admit her mistake and leave, but at the same time part of her didn’t want to go. Even if he had guessed her intentions and didn’t plan on divulging any information, this was still the first intellectually stimulating conversation Emerald had had in quite some time.

“Well, you caught me.” With a bit of a chuckle, Emerald rubbed the back of her head awkwardly and stared at the pile of books. “I won’t lie to you, my original plan was to try and get some dirt on the other competitors before the tournament. Even the tiniest of details could turn into an overwhelming advantage if one plays their cards right. Unfortunately you’re a quick study, something that should’ve been obvious, so I guess I can consider that plan foiled.”

Dr. Oobleck didn’t respond right away. Instead, he let his gaze linger on Emerald before shrugging and turning back to his pile of books as he began to organize them into smaller piles across the table. After a moment of hesitation, Emerald moved to her own stack and began to take apart the pile in a similar fashion. A single book in particular caught her interested, and she gazed down at it with a nostalgic grin.

“You know, growing up in Mistral I never really had much. It was a constant fight for survival, doing what I had to in order to get by, until I entered school anyways. Without much money it was difficult, but I managed to earn my way in with just my intelligence.” Emerald smirked, tapping a finger against her temple. “I found a book that had been thrown out one day:  _ A History of Remnant _ . Nothing special, just your average history book, but to me it was one of the first things that I actually held onto. It was a gateway of sorts, it got me hooked on reading and learning, and being able to be in a library like this with access to any and all knowledge I could ask for is almost overwhelming. My younger self would probably have fainted just stepping into this place. No matter my intentions after the fact, I really was interested in hearing your lecture.”

Oobleck continued to watch Emerald as she shared the cliff notes of part of her past. He tilted his head, taking in a breath to consider the details of what she was sharing. While he wasn’t entirely sure he believed her, at the very least her story seemed believable, though he remained on guard in the event she was simply an impressive liar.

“Well you certainly spin a very convincing tale I’ll give you that much. Regardless, you’re free to assist me in putting away these books in return for the information regarding my lecture, though given the circumstances I wouldn’t be surprised if you decided to just walk away.” It wasn’t as if he was testing the girl, but in his mind the only plausible way any of her story could be true, and if her intentions were truly towards the pursuit of knowledge, would be if she managed to aid in his organization of the books without attempting to goad him into sharing anything further. They’d struck a deal and it was time for her to make good on her part.

“Maybe I’ll find some new books to read while we work.” Emerald smirked, sensing the distrust Oobleck had in her at this point. If this had been a mission she would be failing by a considerable margin, so instead she simply let her finger trace down the spines of the texts on the table. “Though there is one that had eluded me for quite some time. I don’t suppose you know if the library carries it do you? I haven’t been here long enough to look for it, but I imagine you would be the person to go to.”

“This library has been collecting knowledge and books since the time I was a student, so I’m certain that whatever information it is you wish to obtain it is likely in a tome somewhere around this-”

“The Third Crusade.” 

Oobleck was caught off guard as Emerald interrupted him with the title of the book she was looking for. Raising a curious brow, he adjusted his glasses and frowned.

“Ah, I’m afraid  _ that _ particular title isn’t to be found anywhere in these halls. Even amongst the libraries of the world I’d be impressed if you were to find a copy anywhere. It is certainly a highly sought after book regarding pre-war times, and even the single digits worth of copies that exist in the world are hard to find in decent condition. Though, I assume if you’re looking for such a book, you’re likely already aware of these details.” Tilting his head, Oobleck watched as Emerald let out a defeated sigh.

“Afraid so. I never stop looking of course, and it never hurts to ask. I imagine most of the copies are in deep storage, buried away somewhere to never see the light of day in order to protect their value more than their knowledge.” Emerald shrugged and looked at the small piles she’d organized, glancing towards the nearest set of shelves for any reference of where she was relative to the rest of the library. Picking up a set that belonged to the closest row of shelves, Emerald gave a glance towards Oobleck who seemed surprised by the actions she was taking.

“Dangerous knowledge of course. Such books from that era are part of what led to the war on creativity itself. In this age where we cherish the uniqueness of the individual it would be counterproductive to release such books that could simply serve as propaganda against everything we’re fighting to protect. Still, sometimes simply knowing what happened helps prevent it from happening again, so maybe one day the world will be ready to delve into such a dark history and become better from the experience.” With a bit of a smirk, the two exchanged a glance of shared feelings regarding the past, before Oobleck bowed his head and quickly zipped across the library to begin sorting the books they’d brought.

“One day…” For a brief moment the conversation had sparked a great deal of joy in Emerald. It felt like a brief bonding moment between her and someone that might be a friend instead of an associate. Their shared appreciation of knowledge had formed a connection she hadn’t been prepared for, and as she imagined what their shared future held she felt her heart sink at the thoughts of what would happen in the weeks to come. 

The remainder of the day was spent organizing the books and any time the small stacks they’d created seemed to be fading Oobleck would zip back to his office and return with books in even greater numbers. Without expecting much, Emerald would give casual glances to the titles of the numerous history books, most of which either failed to catch her interest or were titles she had already read through prior. They exchanged few words, aside from occasionally asking where a certain section was, and otherwise worked diligently for what felt like hours. In that time Team RWBY had left, something the both of them were thankful for, and soon enough the library began to grow dim with the setting sun, the pair completing their work in silence.

“I believe that’s the last one.” Emerald glanced at the last book on the table, one that belonged on a shelf separate from the rest, and dragged her finger gently across the cover. Part of her had enjoyed the busy work, it kept her mind occupied and could easily be a sign of her dedication to her word. If Oobleck enjoyed her assistance at this point, he might be prone to asking for her aid in the future. Guarded as he was, she couldn’t help but hope that sooner or later he’d let something slip.

“Well Emerald, I must apologize for misjudging you. Despite the confession that you were hoping to get information out of me regarding my students, I expected you to betray your word and leave the instant you realized I wouldn’t be providing anything beyond the initial promise of a discussion regarding the lecture you missed. Furthermore, you’ve impressed me more than anything.” Oobleck took a slow step towards Emerald and it caught her off guard to see him move so calmly. For a moment, she wasn’t sure how to react, and it took all the willpower she had not to flinch or assume any sort of defensive stance even as his hand extended towards her.

To her surprise, Oobleck placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, smiling down at her through his spectacles.

“I see a lot in you Emerald. I dare say I wish you had been a student here at Beacon as opposed to Haven. Best I can tell you have the makings of not just a Huntress, but a Historian. You come across to me as someone who truly cares about the cultures and past that exist in Remnant. Even my star pupils are merely talented with their studies, but lack the passion I can see in your eyes. If you have the time, I just want to ask you a few more things, and then we can wrap up our business here.” Thinking back on the day, Emerald was surprised by how she had spent it. Even more unexpected was Oobleck deciding to ask her questions, and she was mindful of the sorts of details she could and couldn’t share lest she risk blowing her cover.

“Feel free Dr. Oobleck, though it’s a little ironic you’d end up being the one asking me questions don’t you think?” Emerald chuckled softly, but she was already preparing for the worst.

“Well mostly just one question I suppose. It’s a question I ask every one of my students, and while most of their responses are fairly similar, every so often I find someone who truly knows what they want their purpose to be in life. So I ask you, Emerald, why did you choose to become a Huntress?”

Again Oobleck managed to catch Emerald slightly off guard. Despite her uniform and the part she was playing, Emerald was neither a real Huntress or even a real student. Her motivations for being there were entirely unrelated to anything a normal student would go through, and despite her preparations for infiltration she hadn’t been prepared for such a heavy question. So she thought back, back to the time when she was optimistic and hopeful enough to even dream she could be something as amazing as a Huntress.

“Like I said before, I grew up in the less than reputable parts of the kingdom of Mistral. It was rare to get through the day having more than one meal, and my friends and family were always starving. Nobody looked out for us, nobody cared. I’ve lost...so many people in my life.” Emerald’s face wore a more melancholy expression as she looked across the title of the book in her hands. 

_ From Dust to Dust _ was a story recalling the history of the Schnee Dust Company and their dominance of the economy. Their aggressive expansion had put many smaller shops out of business, creating a spike in poverty across the Kingdoms of Remnant. The title was attempting to be clever, with dust shops going from selling dust to gathering it instead. 

“The people I lost didn’t die to Grimm, not to thieves or bandits or anything like that either. They died due to starvation, exposure to the elements and sickness. This book is just one example of the inequality that exists in the history of the world and takes more lives every year, and in becoming a Huntress and gaining influence and power, I hope to end that inequality and help those who can’t help themselves. I can't change history, but at least I can try and change the future.”

Oobleck took a few moments to take in the information she had shared with him. While Emerald hadn’t entirely lied, the thoughts and feelings belonged to a much younger version of herself, a version that had yet to learn the truths of the world: that it cannot be changed by the hopes of an optimistic dreamer. The world cares little for those with optimism, it only cares about those with power. She had learned that truth when she met Cinder, and when she met  _ her _ . This world was going to change, the inequality between the classes, between the races, would all crumble, but not through the hopes of an optimistic dreamer. Through blood and fear the world would be dismantled and rebuilt, and the people around her had no idea just how soon.

“There’s a short series of poems I read quite some time ago,  _ No More Nevermore _ . I don’t suppose you’ve heard of it have you?”

“That was the series of poems about a man who traveled all across Remnant slaying Nevermores correct?” Emerald tilted her head as she tried to recall any specific details from the poems. Each had been told from a different perspective from a different location in Remnant, but the details present over the years had all seemed to tell the same tale of the same man. “Nobody really knew who he was but in villages across the Kingdom he would show up out of nowhere to kill Nevermore in the area before disappearing as quickly as he’d arrived. Some people think it’s just a myth but historians think that the series of connected stories across such a wide area mean there’s some truth to them.”

“What do you think about the man in the stories? We never really know his perspective, just the stories left by those he saved, but what kind of person do you think he was? His goals, his purpose in slaying Nevermore, those sorts of things.”

“I guess I thought he was just being ambitious. Never settling down but simply travelling the land to slay Nevermore despite the other Grimm that exist. What about it?” Emerald expected him to give her response some sort of analysis. To go in depth into her psyche about why she felt the way she did about the world, but instead he responded with even more questions.

“Do you think he was the type of person to change the world? That he cared much about the welfare of the world as he went?” Oobleck turned away from her and gazed out the window towards the setting sun. Emerald hadn’t realized how late it was getting and wondered if Cinder or Mercury were worried about where she was. Still, she’d promised to help Oobleck put away the books, and she still had one last book in her hands.

“I don’t think so, he just went around killing Nevermore whenever he found them. He may have helped a village or two but I can’t imagine that he was very interested in changing the entire world.” Emerald frowned, trying to grasp what Oobleck was getting at. His calm demeanor was still throwing her off. He turned back to her with a serious expression and she was worried that he’d judge her for her opinions about the book. It really was just a few tales of a travelling huntsman and she didn’t know what it had to do with her.

“The truth of the matter is, the stories tell the tale of one of the world’s first Huntsman. A man who realized the talents and skills he had at his disposal, and he used those skills to better the world in the only way he knew how: killing Grimm. His mind wasn’t concerned with the politics of the world, he had no need for an abundance of wealth, nor did he ever take on a pupil, and yet even without trying to take on all of the world’s burdens, he changed everything. His stories served as an inspiration to others to take up action, and those who had seen him in combat attempted to replicate and pass on his techniques. Before you knew it, practically every village on Remnant had some form of Huntsman or Huntress.” Oobleck cracked a bit of a smile, thinking over a number of other texts describing influential people of the past. “The people that change the world hardly ever intend to do it, and very rarely do they play the biggest part all on their own. Instead they serve as an icon, an inspiration for the rest of the world to take action in their stead. No one person can take on the weight of the world by themselves and expect to change anything. That ambition will suffocate you.

“If we might return to my previous lecture for a while, places like Mountain Glenn that attempt to expand beyond the Kingdom tend to gather a sense of individuality as time passes. That’s not to say that such thinking is always a bad thing, but when they begin to shun the protection of the Kingdom and grow more independent they begin to lose the connections that gave them strength in the first place. The fear of expansion, of being alone, is hidden in the subconscious, buried by the pride and overconfidence that drove them to separate themselves in the first place. No matter how unwilling they are to admit it, that fear begins to draw more and more Grimm, and by the time they realize how alone they’ve become its too late.

“The concept of teams that we push so hard for at these schools is to drive for a sense of unity; to show everyone that they have weaknesses, but that those weaknesses can easily be covered by those around you if only you would ask. So in the future, I want you to remember that the world can be changed, but you don’t have to do it all on your own. Instead, act as a beacon for others to follow, guide them towards the path you believe is the right one and they will follow you and push you up even further than you could ever dream to get on your own. Know that even with everything that becoming a Huntress provides, that if you try and burden everything on your own, you’re likely to fail without the help of others.”

Emerald smiled as Oobleck finished his thoughts. It wasn’t a smile of joy though, it was a smile of knowing. Knowing that those were sentiments and thoughts she had shared once, a long time ago. It was apparent that even with all of his knowledge, she knew things that he couldn’t possibly imagine. Friends carrying you up is impossible when faced with overwhelming strength, and no amount of friendship could stop those who truly held power. Real power.

Salem’s face passed through Emerald’s mind briefly. It terrified her, and reminded her of where her place was in this world. She was without that sort of power, and served simply as a pawn for those above her. Still, if she entertained his thinking for a moment, he may have had a point. If she could follow the beacon of those above her, the path that Cinder had lay before her, she would do everything in her power to raise her higher and to make her dreams a reality. Then, Emerald’s smile turned genuine, and she nodded.

“I suppose you’re right. I wouldn’t have gotten as far as I have without my team and those close to me. Even after all we’ve been through together I guess part of me still feels like I have to obtain my dreams on my own, but I suppose letting them help me couldn’t hurt.” Emerald chuckled slightly, trying to imagine any member of her team doing anything that could benefit the world in any way. Despite the dreams she’d once had, where maybe things would have turned out differently, she knew that her present company would never even tease the thought. “Anyways…”

Emerald glanced down at the book in her hand, turning away towards the shelves to put it away, before being stopped with another hand on her shoulder.

“Before you put that away Miss Sustrai, would you mind waiting here for just a moment?” Emerald turned back to Oobleck, frowning slightly at the thought of him potentially running off to fetch even more books for them to put away. Still, she’d put up with him thus far, so what harm could a few more minutes do?

“I suppose tha-” Even before the words had finished leaving her mouth Oobleck had disappeared in a flash. On the opposite side of the library she could hear the door squeak open and slam shut, leaving her alone with only the dim illumination of the ceiling lights. Shifting her weight to one side, Emerald continued to stare at the door, counting the seconds it would take Oobleck to return, and wondered if she should quickly put the book away before he got back. Unfortunately, as the seconds continued to tick by, she started to wonder  _ if _ he would be returning. The speed of Oobleck that she’d gotten used to through the day gave her the impression it would take him mere seconds to get from one end of the school to the other, but as she came upon a minute she wondered if he’d abandoned her.

With a heavy sigh, awkwardly looking around the empty library, Emerald started to take a few steps as she glanced at the label on the side of  _ From Dust to Dust _ to remember where it was supposed to go. However, after her third step, she heard the doors to the library burst open once more. Displaying the most impressive demonstration of his speed that Emerald had seen yet, Oobleck had practically teleported to the table they’d been working from and dropped a massive leather bound journal down. He appeared out of breath, a state she’d assumed to be impossible for him to be in.

“I apologize! It took quite a bit longer to produce a copy than I’d expected, but given the priceless nature of the original I do have to take some precautions when so much as turning a page.” Oobleck was hunched over attempting to catch his breath as Emerald took a curious step back towards the table. Reaching out towards the journal as she got closer, Emerald gave a questioning look to Oobleck who simply nodded towards the book with a grin.

_ ‘The Third Crusade’ _

Opening the journal, Emerald’s eyes scanned over the messy text on the first page. She felt her eyes go wide and she almost dropped the book she’d been holding onto.

“Is this… I thought…” Emerald was stunned as she flipped open a few more pages to skim the barely legible writing beneath. Despite the messy text, she was still able to read the words of a book she thought she'd never find.

“There is no copy of such a text within the library, or at least there wasn’t at the time. Fortunately I happen to have an original buried within my personal belongings that I was able to quickly reproduce.” As Oobleck slowed his breathing down to a reasonable level he gave a grin to Emerald who was still in shock.

“Sir, there’s no possible way I could ever pay for anything like this… Do you want information about my team or something? Is this some attempt at a bribe or-”

“Oh no, no you’ve got it wrong. This is a gift for you.” Emerald still looked bewildered, so Oobleck explained, “You’re a one of a kind student. Your original intent to try and get information from me may have failed, but those thoughts were driven completely out of your mind due to your passion for learning, and you stayed true to your word in helping me with my task. Only once in a great many years does a student with your dedication to the art that is history come along, and it is exactly that desire to learn that I want to help empower in the youth of today. Most of us historians have been getting up in our years, and before long we might be in the textbooks ourselves soon enough! So take this as a gift, and as a reminder to stay true to your drive. Continue to study history, and live in the past so that you can better live into the future.”

Emerald was speechless. Nobody had ever just  _ gifted _ her something before. There was always a motive, a favor that needed asked, a bribe that they were hoping to pay for. She almost felt guilty at the idea of accepting something for free.

“You put in an honest effort today. We have but a single book remaining that I will happily take care of, but you have provided me with something today that no amount of money could ever buy, and that is hope. Hope for a future where people continue to appreciate the value of the past and what it can teach us. You have a true passion to change the world, and if gone about in the right way with the right people, I truly believe you will be able to have a great impact on all of Remnant, so take this. Take this as a token of my appreciation for showing me that the spark of a historian exists within the next generation.”

“Thank you. Thank you for the lecture, your conversation, and your faith. You have no idea how much you’ve inspired me to continue down my path today.” Emerald set  _ From Dust to Dust _ down before gently picking up the journal, careful not to accidentally drop it or fold it. Glancing at the title once more, she closed it gently and held it close with a polite bow to Oobleck who had already started to walk away. As she moved towards the exit, sensing that their time together had come to an end, she could briefly here his voice speaking rather loudly from a row of shelves.

“What a marvelous student. I wish others could be like her, like Miss Xiao-Long! Always seeking to punch her way out of an issue and resort immediately to violence than put any thought into her actions. Dreadful attitude I tell you, so easily goaded!” Not even a second after finishing his thought, he was back to zipping through the library, and Emerald cracked a small smile.

It wasn’t as if this was any new information to Emerald. They’d done a fair bit of research into the personalities of some of the other students, and given how vocal Team RWBY tended to be it wasn’t hard to analyze them. Still, she recognized his gesture for what it was, and gently shut the door to the library as she left. His advice would stick with her, and even if her dream wasn’t anything like the one she’d shared with him, she would seek to grow closer to Cinder in the hopes to make her dream become a reality.

\---------------------

**Several Months Later**

“...and then Raven pulled the flowers from the vase and dumped all the water out on top of poor Tai! She was furious when he first tried to ask her out! Why, we all thought he was a madman for even _considering_ it!”

Sitting around the table of a small cabin, Doctor Oobleck, Professor Port, as well as Taiyang Xiao Long, were all sharing in a nostalgic conversation about their time as students.

It had been a few months since the fall of Beacon and the tower, enough time for many of the wounds to heal, but they still had a great deal of work to do. For that night however, a group of old friends had decided to meet and simply enjoy a night of relaxation without any worries of Grimm, bandits, or the White Fang. As they all shared in a laugh, there was a knock at the door.

“Oh my, I wonder who that could be at this hour.” Glancing at his watch, Dr. Oobleck stood and gently slid his chair beneath the table as he glanced towards the entrance to the cabin.

“Perhaps Glydna has decided to join us. It was an open invitation, though she’s all but ignored us so far. I worry for her sometimes; despite my insistence to take a break that woman’s drive to clear Beacon is unmatched!” Professor Port let out a hearty laugh as Oobleck nodded his head in agreement and stepped away from the group.

As he peered through the small glass window near the top of the door, he squinted into the darkness for any signs of who had knocked. Glancing around, he couldn’t see anyone, and hesitantly he opened the door to get a better look at his surroundings. However, even with the door open there was no sign of anyone, and he took a step out into the night air. As his foot moved forward, he felt his boot come in contact with something solid, and looked down to see what he had kicked by mistake. Crouching down, he found a hefty leather journal sitting on the step. It seemed somewhat familiar, and as he picked it up and cracked open the cover, he recognized his own handwriting scrawled across the page.

“Ah…” Oobleck’s brow furrowed slightly as he took a heavy breath and straightened up, closing the journal and looking back into the night. As he looked down the path, his gaze lingering for a few moments, he was unaware of the fact he was staring directly at the person he’d once gifted that very journal too.

A few feet from Oobleck, Emerald stood in the darkness, staring at the professor and using her semblance to hide her presence. For a brief second she was worried he could see her, his eyes practically locking onto her own, before he turned and let his eyes wander the treeline.

“There are many questions I have, as I’m sure you know, but I imagine that given the circumstances I’m unlikely to get an answer to any of them. Instead, let me just say that despite everything that has happened, I do not believe you or anyone you know is beyond redemption. History sets the stage for the present, but we still have the power to change the future if we choose. I won’t pretend that I could ever dream to understand your history, or even your present, but I know that in our brief time together I saw such endless potential for your future.” Oobleck’s eyes continued to gaze through the forest in hopes of seeing even the smallest sign of the person he was addressing, hoping that she hadn’t simply departed immediately and that perhaps his words would reach her. “Know that I haven’t given up hope that one day you’ll find the future you seek.”

There was a lingering silence, interrupted by the chirping of a cricket, as Oobleck let out another heavy breath.

“Who are you talking to Barty?” The voice of Professor Port came from elsewhere in the house, and Emerald could see his body start to come into frame in the doorway. She took a nervous step back, a small amount of dust kicking up as she prepared to run, but Professor Oobleck took his own step back and extended an arm to keep the other gentleman at bay. His eyes were fixated on the ground at her feet, and he simply shook his head before turning to the other man.

“Oh nobody, just imagining myself giving lectures like the good old days. A stray walking past seemed like it could use an old fashioned pep talk and I can only hope it might come back one day.” Chuckling to himself, Oobleck entered the cabin and shut the door behind him, the pair of voices fading away as the lights began to turn off one at a time.

Emerald let out a shaky breath as the silence of the night returned. Her nerves were fried having come all the way to deliver the journal while avoiding Cinder and Mercury, and for a few moments she imagined going back to the door. If she knocked, if she asked for help, a place to stay or a place to hide…

_ Then everyone that protected her would die... _

Emerald shook off the thought, trying to calm herself, and turned her back to the cabin. This was not the time to have regrets, to have doubts or to have second thoughts. Like Torchwick, she’d found herself in too deep with no way out. Even after all the years of burying it though, a tiny part of her former self, the optimistic youth that dreamed of a bright future broke through the surface for only a moment.

_ Maybe one day... _


End file.
